Nebraska coach Connie Yori has a different perspective on winning streaks.“We’re playing at Texas Tech a couple weeks ago and were in the same hotel as the Harlem Globetrotters,” Yori said this week in a conference call. “We’ve got a long way to go to catch the Harlem Globetrotters’ streak, like 7,000 more games.”

“We’re playing at Texas Tech a couple weeks ago and were in the same hotel as the Harlem Globetrotters,” Yori said this week in a conference call. “We’ve got a long way to go to catch the Harlem Globetrotters’ streak, like 7,000 more games.”Nebraska at 23-0 overall, 10-0 in the Big 12 Conference, is the only unbeaten team in the nation other than top-ranked UConn (64 straight wins). Only the No. 3 Cornhuskers, with their longest winning streak and their highest national ranking in program history, have gone about things a little differently.

Nebraska at 23-0 overall, 10-0 in the Big 12 Conference, is the only unbeaten team in the nation other than top-ranked UConn (64 straight wins). Only the No. 3 Cornhuskers, with their longest winning streak and their highest national ranking in program history, have gone about things a little differently.Yori’s team, 15-16 a year ago, was unranked as the 2009-10 season started and didn’t break into the Associated Press Top 25 until it was 8-0.

Yori’s team, 15-16 a year ago, was unranked as the 2009-10 season started and didn’t break into the Associated Press Top 25 until it was 8-0.The Cornhuskers came from behind in the second half Wednesday night to win at Kansas, 67-60, and extended their unbeaten streak Saturday with an 82-78 victory at Missouri, a game in which they also trailed.

The Cornhuskers came from behind in the second half Wednesday night to win at Kansas, 67-60, and extended their unbeaten streak Saturday with an 82-78 victory at Missouri, a game in which they also trailed.Yori credits a mature team, which has six seniors — three of whom start — and which had to get used to playing without All-America candidate Kelsey Griffin last year when she was injured, for being able to handle what would otherwise seem like pressure in the national eye.

Yori credits a mature team, which has six seniors — three of whom start — and which had to get used to playing without All-America candidate Kelsey Griffin last year when she was injured, for being able to handle what would otherwise seem like pressure in the national eye.“We’re a very grounded group,” the coach said. “Our players have great character. We don’t talk about it. We just try to stay focused on getting better in practice. Our players have done a good job maintaining that thought process and those work habits.”

“We’re a very grounded group,” the coach said. “Our players have great character. We don’t talk about it. We just try to stay focused on getting better in practice. Our players have done a good job maintaining that thought process and those work habits.”Prior to the game against Missouri, Griffin, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, led the team with 19.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Cory Montgomery was averaging 12.8 points and 5.0 rebounds, Yvonne Turner 12.5 points and 3.9 rebounds and Dominique Kelly 12.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. Freshman point guard Lindsey Moore has a team-high 103 assists.

Prior to the game against Missouri, Griffin, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, led the team with 19.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Cory Montgomery was averaging 12.8 points and 5.0 rebounds, Yvonne Turner 12.5 points and 3.9 rebounds and Dominique Kelly 12.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. Freshman point guard Lindsey Moore has a team-high 103 assists.“They are definitely not under the radar anymore,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said in a recent conference call. “They’ve done a great job of playing great team basketball. They work hard. They do all the little things right. They’re a fun team to watch.”

“They are definitely not under the radar anymore,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said in a recent conference call. “They’ve done a great job of playing great team basketball. They work hard. They do all the little things right. They’re a fun team to watch.”UConn coach Geno Auriemma said he hasn’t had the opportunity to see the Cornhuskers play, but associate coach Chris Dailey has.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma said he hasn’t had the opportunity to see the Cornhuskers play, but associate coach Chris Dailey has.“She commented on how good they are,” Auriemma said. “Having four seniors and being able to spread the floor the way they do. Everybody that has seen them play has been really, really impressed with them.

“She commented on how good they are,” Auriemma said. “Having four seniors and being able to spread the floor the way they do. Everybody that has seen them play has been really, really impressed with them.

“They certainly play in a terrific league and for them to be doing what they’re doing, I don’t care who you are, where you play … if you’re able to run off the number of wins they’ve been able to run off, that’s unbelievably impressive.”

The best of the bestBryant Gumbel, in his closing comments on his television show HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, rained praise this week on UConn’s Maya Moore, the defending national player of the year.Said Gumbel: “Then there’s Maya Moore. All she’s done this week is help the UConn Huskies to 62 straight wins and make them a virtual lock to win their second straight NCAA championship … all while carrying a 3.7 grade point average and debating whether or not to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship. She’s the most important player in all of college basketball, man or woman. Period.”

Said Gumbel: “Then there’s Maya Moore. All she’s done this week is help the UConn Huskies to 62 straight wins and make them a virtual lock to win their second straight NCAA championship … all while carrying a 3.7 grade point average and debating whether or not to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship. She’s the most important player in all of college basketball, man or woman. Period.”

And the winner is …The Big East Conference announced the results of a week-long online fan vote on Friday that chose UConn senior Tina Charles as Big East Player of the Year for the first half of the season. Charles edged Moore, her teammate, earning 35 percent of the vote to Moore’s 33.8 percent. Notre Dame’s Lindsay Schrader got 7.4 percent of the vote, followed by West Virginia’s Liz Repella (6.9 percent) and Providence’s Chelsea Marandola (6.0 percent).The fans also picked UConn’s 70-46 victory over then-No. 3 Notre Dame, which was featured as the first women’s game ever on ESPN’s College Gameday, as the Game of the Year.

The fans also picked UConn’s 70-46 victory over then-No. 3 Notre Dame, which was featured as the first women’s game ever on ESPN’s College Gameday, as the Game of the Year.Other winners were: Freshman of the Year, Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame); Upset of the Year, Marquette’s 52-45 win over Georgetown, breaking a 16-game winning streak for the Hoyas.

Other winners were: Freshman of the Year, Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame); Upset of the Year, Marquette’s 52-45 win over Georgetown, breaking a 16-game winning streak for the Hoyas.The vote was conducted on BIGEAST.org. Fans were provided video highlights from the first half of the league season and asked to cast their ballots.

The vote was conducted on BIGEAST.org. Fans were provided video highlights from the first half of the league season and asked to cast their ballots.

Around the Big EastUConn is auctioning off three pink game jerseys such as the ones they wore for Saturday’s “Pink Zone” game, donated by Nike. Each jersey is autographed by every member of the 2009-10 team and Auriemma. The auction, to benefit the V Foundation, began at 5 p.m. Saturday and will run for exactly one week. It can be accessed at GenosCancerTeam.com.… Headed into this weekend, UConn and Notre Dame had each recorded three sellouts and DePaul has had two. Last year, there were seven sellouts in the Big East the entire season. … Syracuse senior forward Nicole Michael broke the school’s career scoring record on Feb. 2 in an 87-80 overtime victory at Pittsburgh. Michael’s free throw with 1:37 remaining allowed her to eclipse the mark of 1,605 points held by Julie McBride. Prior to this weekend’s game against Cincinnati, Michael had 1,655 points, third on the Big East active scoring list.

… Headed into this weekend, UConn and Notre Dame had each recorded three sellouts and DePaul has had two. Last year, there were seven sellouts in the Big East the entire season. … Syracuse senior forward Nicole Michael broke the school’s career scoring record on Feb. 2 in an 87-80 overtime victory at Pittsburgh. Michael’s free throw with 1:37 remaining allowed her to eclipse the mark of 1,605 points held by Julie McBride. Prior to this weekend’s game against Cincinnati, Michael had 1,655 points, third on the Big East active scoring list.

Colonial daysWaterford’s Karli Spera and Griswold’s Stephanie Slonski are starters for the Western Connecticut State University women’s basketball team that was ranked sixth this week in the Division III Northeast Regional poll.The Colonials (19-4) lost 72-65 to Rhode Island College on Tuesday, following the release of the poll.

The Colonials (19-4) lost 72-65 to Rhode Island College on Tuesday, following the release of the poll.Spera, a 5-7 junior guard, is averaging 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, leads the team with 91 assists and is tied for second on the team with 32 3-pointers. Slonski averages 7.3 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, leads the team with 52 steals and is second in assists with 88.

Spera, a 5-7 junior guard, is averaging 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, leads the team with 91 assists and is tied for second on the team with 32 3-pointers. Slonski averages 7.3 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, leads the team with 52 steals and is second in assists with 88.The team is coached by Kimberley Rybczyk.

The team is coached by Kimberley Rybczyk.Selections for the NCAA Divisioni III tournament will be webcast on NCAA.com beginning at 12:30 p.m. Monday, March 1.

Selections for the NCAA Divisioni III tournament will be webcast on NCAA.com beginning at 12:30 p.m. Monday, March 1.

Vickie Fulkerson covers the UConn women’s basketball team for The Day.